


In a Hospital

by foreverinfiction



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2019-10-21 15:42:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17645645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverinfiction/pseuds/foreverinfiction
Summary: Jem and Tessa meet while working on a complicated patient in the ER.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is another new story I am starting. It may only be a few chapters long but I wanted to explore the concept.

Jem was two hours into his shift at the hospital, and he already needed coffee. He had been taking the night shift more frequently because it paid well. Usually, he was busy enough to keep himself awake, but tonight was slow. He watched the monitors from the nurses’ station absently. No one was in any danger, he thought. He had forty-five minutes before he needed to go around and give his patients their meds, but until then, all he had was charting.

To his luck, Catarina came him. “You did emergency med before pediatrics, right?” she asked.

Jem nodded. “Yeah. Three years of it. Why?”

“The ER’s a mess. Some big car accident on the highway. They’re on a skeleton crew and can’t keep up. Has anything been happening up here?”

Jem shook his head. “Not at all. Everyone is good. I was just catching up on some charting, but there’s really nothing going on.”

“Then go help them. Ask for Tessa. She’s working on a tricky case. The surgeon can’t work on him for another few hours, and Tessa could use an extra set of hands keeping him stable.”

“You’re sure?” Jem asked. He knew it was pointless. Catarina wouldn’t have asked if she wasn’t sure. She was delegating, and as much as they had become friends, Jem didn’t question her authority. She knew everyone’s strengths and flaws and sent them on tasks that suited them.

Catarina waved her hand at him, dismissing him. She was already logging into the computer, onto another task. “I’ll call you if something happens up here, but you’re of better use down there helping them than up here perfecting the charting I know you already finished.”

Jem nodded. “Do you need anything before I go?”

Catarina shook her head. “I’m fine. You and Tessa may need a coffee after your patient goes into surgery. He’s a fighter, but he’s in bad shape.”

Jem paused and looked at her. “You’re setting me up for a coffee date?”

“I am sending you to do a task that will surely leave you covered in someone else’s blood and exhausted. You will need a coffee. I am not Magnus. I am not touching your love life.”

Jem smiled at her. “You should get a coffee too. The monitors get boring.”

She nodded at him and he walked away.

* * *

 

Tessa had given up going back to the nurses’ station. Her patient had coded twice in the past hour, and she was tired of running. Of course, on the day that they were understaffed, there was a mass influx of patients. That wasn’t true, though, she amended. They only had four come in, but all were critically injured. Her patient, the man with the dark hair and the blue eyes, had a wound in his shoulder that went clean through with an infection that was giving him a fever. It was bad, but he wasn’t the worst off. He just required constant attention while she waited for the surgeon to be ready to fix him.

A knock came at the door and Tessa looked up. Standing in the doorway was a tall man. He was quite handsome, Tessa thought immediately. Dark hair with a silver streak in it, warm brown eyes. He smiled shyly at her. “Catarina sent me down to see if you needed some help. She said you had a tricky patient.”

Tessa nodded at him. “I just need help holding him down. He’s got a hole in his shoulder and an infection. He’s on antibiotics and a sedative but he keeps waking up and struggling with the pain. I just could use your hands when he wakes up.”

Jem nodded. “Why are you in here and not at the nurses’ station?”

Tessa glanced at her patient. “He coded twice. He’s just needing attention until he goes into surgery, which likely won’t be for another two hours, at the earliest.”

Jem smiled at her. “Looks like we have a long night ahead then. Do you want a coffee or anything?”

Tessa smiled at him. “Coffee would be wonderful.”

Jem took her coffee order and returned five minutes later with two coffees. He handed her one and sat next to her. “You’re a saint,” Tessa said.

Jem laughed a little. “Catarina made it sound like the apocalypse had come through the doors. It’s actually pretty quiet down here.”

“It’s not really busy,” Tessa said. “We’re just understaffed for the night and this one is high maintenance. I’ve needed to change my scrubs three times. Where did Cat pull you from?”

“Pediatrics,” Jem said. “It was a slow night there too.”

Tessa looked at him. “You really are a saint,” she said. “Why pediatrics?”

Jem took a sip of his coffee. “I got really sick when I was a teenager and loved being in the hospital. That sounds wrong, but you know what I mean, don’t you? I love the environment of the hospital and I do well with sick kids because I was a sick kid. What about you? Why the ER?”

Tessa paused. “I like being a nurse. It keeps me busy. I like working with the patients, and I’m good at it, I guess. Catarina roped me into it a few years ago.”

Jem smiled at her. “How long have you known Catarina?”

“Only recently,” Tessa answered. “I went through a rough patch, and my friend Magnus connected us.”

“You know Magnus, too?” Jem was intrigued. He was surprised this was the first time he was meeting Tessa. With all of the parties Magnus threw, Jem thought he would have bumped into her before. She was certainly very pretty.

Tessa nodded and smiled and then shook her head. “He’s crazy, but he’s my best friend.”

“He is crazy,” Jem said. “Have you gone to any of his parties?”

Tessa laughed. “They’re crazier than he is. Did you go to the one where he had a camel?”

Jem laughed with her. “I did. I have no idea how he got a camel into his apartment in New York City, but he always manages to find one-up himself, and I guess having actually floating candles wasn’t enough.”

Nodding, Tessa smiled at him. “I can’t believe you know Magnus. I’ll have to look for you at his next party.”

Jem was saved answered when their patient started struggling. Tessa and Jem both rose to their feet. “Just hold him down so I can give him more sedative,” Tessa told him.

Jem did as she said, placing his hands on the patient's shoulders. His eyes were open, Jem noticed. They were a deep blue. Jem kept eye contact as he talked to him. “You were in an accident,” Jem said firmly. He spoke slowly. “We’re giving you meds to help with the pain while you wait for surgery. Can you tell me your name?”

His patient struggled. “Tess, hold on a sec,” he said, then he was looking at his patient again. “I know it hurts. I know you are freaked out, but we can help you much more if we know your name. Push through the pain enough to tell me your name.”

“Will,” his patient groaned, shutting his eyes. Then he took a few ragged breaths. “Will Herondale.”

Jem nodded at him. “That’s good,” he said. “That’s great. Okay. We’re going to give you some meds that will help you sleep, alright?”

Will nodded and squeezed his eyes shut again. Jem looked at Tessa again. She nodded and moved to let go of Will’s hand, but he held on tightly.

“Will,” she said firmly, and Jem recognized Catarina’s authoritative tone in her voice. “William. I need to give you these meds, and I need two hands to do that.”

Will looked at her and nodded softly. His whole body was tense, but he managed to whisper “sorry” to Tessa before letting go of her hand. Tessa gave him the meds and then went to the other side of his bed, by his injured shoulder and held his hand again. “You’re going to be fine, William,” she said gently. “We’re staying right here until you go in for surgery.”

Will nodded and closed his eyes again. Jem and Tessa both watched the tension leave his body. “We need to talk to the anesthesiologist,” Jem said. “Even with a fast metabolism, he shouldn’t be going through the meds this fast.”

Tessa shook her head. “I already did that. He just said to keep giving him more when he wakes up.”

“Is it Starkweather on tonight?”

Tessa nodded, looking down at Will again. “Yes. He’s an ass, but he’s all we have tonight. I think he’s more scared than in pain when he wakes up. But you got his name, which is great.”

Jem nodded. “I’m going to go tell the charge nurse that we got his name. Are you okay for a minute?”

Tessa smiled at him. “Can you get me that chair and my coffee first? I’m just going to hold his hand for a while.”

Jem did as she asked and then left the room to find the charge nurse.

* * *

 

Tessa’s gaze followed Jem as he walked out of the room.

“You like him,” said a voice next to her.

Startled, she looked down at the patient. “You are supposed to be resting,” she said firmly, ignoring his question.

“Resting isn’t necessarily sleeping,” he said with a weak smile.

Squeezing his hand gently, Tessa smiled back at him. “Then while you’re awake, do you know why you’re here?”

Will shook his head gently and closed his eyes. Tessa squeezed his hand again. “You were in a car accident. You have a wound in your shoulder that will need surgery, and the surgeon won’t be available for another two hours. That’s why we have you on painkillers which should be making you sleep, but you seem to be burning through them rather quickly. You also have a fever, so we are giving you some pretty strong antibiotics to combat any infection you might have.”

Will nodded and opened his eyes again. He really did have pretty eyes, Tessa thought. They were a deep blue, almost violet. “You never answered my question,” he said.

Tessa sighed. “Do you have any medical questions I can answer?”

“No,” Will said. “I’m an EMT. I know in the basics of what you said. I trust you to handle any specifics. You aren’t denying it.”

Tessa smiled at him again. “I just met him tonight,” she said. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I do think he’s very attractive. He’s a pediatric nurse. They pulled him down here to help out with you.”

Will laughed a little and then winced. “Well, damn. I can’t compete with that. I was going to ask you out, but maybe I’d have better luck asking him out. Although, you are tough competition, too. Looks like I’m out of luck.”

Tessa laughed, which made him smile again. Jem came in then and pulled a chair next to her. “He’s awake?” Jem asked.

She nodded but didn’t have to answer because Will responded first. “I am. We were just talking about how I was going to ask you out, but she called dibs.”

“I did not!” Tessa protested.

Jem laughed. “You’re high on painkillers, William.”

“That’s not a no,” Will said with a smile.

Jem smiled back at him. “It’s not a yes either. You should be sleeping. Your body needs to rest before surgery.”

“Alas, I must. The drugs are overtaking.” Will said dramatically. “You two can continue your flirting over my head. I promise to only listen to half of it.” He closed his eyes and Jem and Tessa waited for his breathing to even before they said anything.

Tessa laughed and blushed red. “He’s a handful,” she said.

Jem looked at her. “He’s very handsome.”

“So are you,” she said, too fast, before she could think through all of the reasons why that was an inappropriate response.

Jem blushed bright scarlet and looked away. “Would you be open to going out with me?” Jem asked. “We could go get breakfast after this shift.”

Tessa smiled at him. “That sounds lovely.”

Jem grinned. “Really?”

Laughing, Tessa looked at him. “Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?”

Jem shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s a little surreal. Our patient just set us up. I was suspicious of Catarina setting us up earlier, but our patient set us up. It’s much stranger than I thought.”

“I’m looking forward to breakfast,” she said.

Jem smiled. “Me, too.”


	2. Chapter 2

Tessa was dragged into going to Magnus’ party. She had just gotten off of a long shift and really didn’t feel like drinking and worrying over Magnus’ health. Truly, she just didn’t feel up to dealing with people. She wanted a nice quiet night in, but Magnus showed up at her door and convinced her to put on a decent dress and a bit of lipstick. 

“You look hot,” Magnus said. 

“I feel tired,” Tessa retorted. “And very not sexy. You have parties nearly every weekend. Why must I come to this one?” She was whining even though she knew it was pointless. Magnus was going to drag her out of her apartment regardless of what she said. 

“Because I have information you don’t,” Magnus answered. He was sitting on Tessa’s bed as she put on her lipstick. 

Tessa turned to look at him, but he just sat there and smiled. “Do I get to know this information? I really don’t want a surprise. It’s not my birthday, is it? We’re still in August, aren’t we?”

Magnus raised an eyebrow. “That alone is why I am dragging you out tonight. You shouldn’t have to ask me what month it is. You need to take fewer night shifts.”

“It pays well,” Tessa shot back. 

“And there is a remarkably hot guy that you fell in love with.” Magnus pressed. 

Tessa shrugged. “We went out once, for breakfast, after a shift, because our patient set us up. I haven’t heard from him for weeks.”

“Is that because he isn’t texting or you didn’t get his number?” 

“The second one, but I don’t see why it really matters.” Tessa shrugged. “Earings or not?” she asked in an attempt to dissuade Magnus from the topic. She really had been hoping to hear from Jem but she hadn’t had the time or energy or courage to go find him later and ask for a second date, and clearly, he hadn’t either. 

“That’s dating basics, love,” Magnus said. “Establish a reliable means of communication. You did enjoy the date, didn’t you?”

Tessa sighed and sat down on the bed. “Yes. I enjoyed it. He was funny and kind and incredibly sweet. He was a perfect gentleman.”

“Any red flags?”

Shaking her head, Tessa looked out the window. “He doesn’t read,” she said. 

“That’s a major red flag for you, love.” Magnus said. 

“Not entirely,” she said. “He just doesn’t read a lot. He reads on occasion, but he plays violin and prefers practicing to reading.”

“Have you looked him up online?” Magnus said, pulling out his phone.

“No,” Tessa said. 

Magnus sighed. “Tessa! We live in this wonderful era where you can learn all about a person online and you haven’t done it yet? What’s his name?”

“Jem Carstairs,” Tessa said. “But I really don’t think it’s necessary to—”

“Found him!” Magnus said. “Oh my god, he’s hot. You did not do his sexiness justice in your description of him. He plays violin. He teaches violin to children. He’s in pediatrics, which you already knew. He grew up in Shanghai and then London. His mother is Chinese, his father is English, he speaks Mandarin, and — oh my god! Have you seen this picture of him with glasses?”

Leaning over to take the phone from Magnus, Tessa looked at the picture. Jem was wearing a simple blue sweater and a pair of glasses. He was sitting with a couple of friends at a table at a restaurant, and he was smiling. Tessa missed his smile.  _ Damn it _ , she thought. She was pining. She hated pining.

“I’m fine,” she said, handing the phone back to Magnus. “I’m moving on.”

Magnus threw his hands up in exasperation. “You are missing out on an extremely hot and undoubtedly very sweet guy.”

“I know, but I missed my chance, and now you are dragging me to a party where there will undoubtedly be many other men who I will fail at flirting with. You know I’m not good at this. I work and I keep myself busy so I don’t have to worry about dating.”

“You need sex,” Magnus said, coming to stand by her at the mirror. “You need a break. Here’s the key to my spare bedroom if you find anyone tonight. There are condoms in the nightstand.” Magnus slipped the small key into her hand.

“Thanks, but I won’t need it,” Tessa answered. 

Magnus smirked. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” he said quickly, and then he truly was pulling her out of her apartment. Tessa barely managed to grab her phone and lock the door before Magnus had called a cab.

* * *

 

“Why are we going to this party?” Jem asked. 

He had invited Catarina over to his place for dinner, and she had coerced him into taking the night off of work to go to a party that Magnus was having. “Because Magnus will pester me endlessly if I don’t go.”

“So I have to be dragged down, too? Why can’t we just cook something and drink wine and be actual adults?” Catarina gave him a look, and Jem sighed. “I never said I wasn’t going. I just don’t understand why this one is so different.”

Catarina looked away and frowned. “Magnus said Ragnor would be there.”

“Oh,” Jem said. Catarina hadn’t told him much about Ragnor, but he knew they had gotten very close before Ragnor completely disappeared. “And you’re wanting moral support?”

Catarina glared at him. “I am an independent woman, James Carstairs. I have a successful career, a great apartment, and am completely capable of being on my own. I do not need an explanation from him, nor do I plan on confronting him.”

Jem gave her a small smile. “Are you using me? I’m your fake date to make him jealous.”

“No!” Catarina said and then sighed. “I just would like to have someone to escape to if things with Ragnor get awkward.”

Jem smiled. “I can be that person.” He paused and thought about what he was going to say next. The question was nagging at him, but saying it aloud felt like dangerous hope. “Do you know if Tessa will be there?”

“Tessa? The girl from the ER?” Catarina said. “I have no idea. Why?”

Jem blushed and looked away. “I just— we went out after our shift together, and I forgot to get her number. She mentioned that she knew Magnus when we were talking. I just thought maybe she would be there tonight.”

Catarina studied him. “You never ask about girls,” she said. “Or guys. You never seem at all interested in dating when we go out.”

She didn’t ask a question, but Jem knew it was there. He waited for the question but it never came directly. He sighed. “I don’t do casual dating. I’m fumbling and awkward and not exactly good at it. I blend in, I do my job, and I don’t take risks.”

“And Tessa isn’t a risk?” Catarina pressed.

Jem shook his head. “No, she is. It puts my job at risk, it puts me at risk, but she’s worth the risk,

I guess. You know I am not a romantic person, but it felt right with her.”

Catarina brushed his hair back from his forehead in a very older sister fashion. She was smiling at him. “If you ever tell Magnus what I am going to tell you, I will end you,” she said. 

Jem frowned at her. “Okay,” he said. 

“Tessa will be there tonight. Magnus is planning this whole party for the two of you.”

Shaking his head, Jem laughed. “Seriously? Magnus’ parties are huge and overly extravagant and cost more than my rent. He couldn’t just give her number to you to give to me?”

Catarina laughed. “See, that would be the practical option, which I suggested to him several times over and he denied many times. I also suggested staging an accidental ‘bump into each other at the coffee shop’ scenario, which he shot down very quickly.” 

“So the thing with you and Ragnor?” Jem asked. 

Catarina sighed. “That part is still true. Ragnor is supposed to be there tonight.”

“You deserve better than someone who disappears on you, Catarina,” Jem said honestly. “He isn’t worth your time.”

Nodding, Catarina smiled at Jem. “I know. I do know that. I just want some closure.”

“When does Magnus’ party start?” Jem asked. 

“At ten, I think,” Catarina answered. “Why?”

Jem stood and pulled Catarina up with him. “It’s eight. We have two hours. I’m buying you dinner. Where do you want to go?”

* * *

 

 

Tessa helped Magnus finish setting up his party. He had a fancy loft in the heart of downtown and a large balcony to go with it. “You are not allowed on the balcony tonight if you are drinking,” Tessa said as she helped lay out what probably was way too much alcohol on the kitchen counter. 

“Why not?” Magnus pouted. “It’s a beautiful night.”

Tessa shook her head at him. “You live on the twenty-fifth floor and I worry about you falling off.”

Magnus laughed. “I won’t fall off, and if I do, I have several friends who are nurses that will be attending.”

“Just because I am an ER nurse does not mean that I know how to put your insides back inside your body. No balcony after the third drink.”

“Fine,” Magnus conceded. “I will not go on the balcony if you find a guy to flirt with.”

Tessa sighed. “Fine. I can flirt, but I’m not having sex with anyone.”

“Deal,” Magnus said.  “Can you hang these lights up out there along the railing?”

Tessa complied and Magnus came out after a minute and handed her a glass of wine. They sat together on the balcony and watched the sun go down.

“I worry about you,” Magnus said. “You and Catarina. You both spend so many hours working and yet you don’t do anything that actually makes you happy. You keep busy, but you’re not actually happy, and I know for a while, that was enough for you, but you need to do something with all of the hours you work. You deserve to find things to do that make you happy, whether that’s a man to take you out dancing or a three week trip to Spain, you need to find something.”

Tessa nodded and thought about her response. She knew he was right. She worked nearly eighty hours a week and barely had time for anything that wasn’t work or sleep. She had needed that when she started working. She had left her aunt and brother behind in New York and had moved to London for a new start for herself, and the busy schedule was necessary to afford the small apartment she had and to keep her mind away from how lonely she was. Now, though, she had enough in savings to probably afford a trip to Spain, and she didn’t need to work the long and late hours anymore. Tessa smiled at Magnus. “I know. I know you’re right. I just— I don’t like the risk. What if something happens and I need my savings? What if I end up with someone abusive and awful like my brother?”

“What if you end up with someone kind and wonderful? What if you find out that you love Spain and want to live there?” Magnus gave her a small smile. “You’re worrying about things that may happen, but you’re not letting yourself explore the good side. You can’t live with your walls up forever, Tessa. No one has the energy to do that. You’re safe. You’re financially stable. You have friends who will support you. You have to let your defenses down a bit.”

Tessa nodded and took a sip of her wine. 

“Just talk to someone tonight,” Magnus said. “Practice letting your guard down and having some fun. Promise me you’ll try tonight.”

Tessa smiled at him. “I can do that.” She took a deep breath and said it again. She could do that. She could let her guard down for the night. Tessa took another sip of her wine and steeled herself for the long night ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of this chapter. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Will had barely stopped taking his regiment of pills before he got the text from Magnus.

 _How are you feeling?_ Magnus sent.

Will smiled. His left arm was in a sling and it hurt like hell, but it would heal with another few weeks. He got two months paid off of work to heal, and although he was enjoying the extra time to read, he was beginning to lose his mind.

 _Bored,_ Will texted back. _Do you have something exciting for me?_

Magnus texted back almost immediately. _I might. Are you done with of all your pills?_

 _Are you asking me if I can drink?_ Will texted.

Magnus responded. _I’m having a party on Friday if you are up for it._

Will grinned. He had an excuse to get out of his apartment. _I am definitely coming_ , he responded. Magnus filled him in on all of the details, and Will promised he would come. He promised to hug Magnus when he saw him. Two weeks stuck inside with minimal things to do was killing him more than the injury in his shoulder.

* * *

 

Magnus’ party was extravagant as usual. Will had no idea how he afforded his fancy apartment and weekly parties, and whenever he pressed it, Magnus always deflected answers. They had a running joke that Magnus was secretly a vampire who kept faking his own death and collecting insurance money.

Will waded through the crowd until he found Magnus, who was standing in a bright pink glittery shirt and talking to a man with green hair. “Magnus!” Will said. He had to shout over the music.

Magnus smiled at him. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Fine,” Will said. “Better now that I’m out of my bloody apartment. There are so many people here.”

“It’s not a party if there are less than a hundred people,” Magnus retorted back.

Will grinned. “People have weddings smaller than your parties.”

“That is not something that will deter me from throwing my parties. Do you want something to drink? Can you drink?”

Will nodded. “As of today, I can.”

Magnus raised his eyebrow. “I am not giving you alcohol if you can’t manage it, William.”

“I can handle it,” Will said. “Honestly, I was cleared at my appointment yesterday.”

Magnus excused himself from the man he had been talking to previously and pulled Will towards the kitchen. “I have a favor to ask,” Magnus said. “I have a friend who is pining over a guy who didn’t text her. Can you talk to her? Her name’s Tessa.”

Will blinked at him. “Tessa? Is she a nurse? Brown hair?”

Magnus nodded. “You know her?”

“She was my nurse in the ER. Her and a guy whose name I cannot remember for the life of me.”

Magnus laughed. “You’re the patient that set her up?”

Will smiled. “Apparently. I’d be happy to seduce her,” Will said and then frowned. “Wow, that sounded creepy. I will talk to her and see what happens. I have been away from people for too long.”

Magnus handed Will a beer and a glass of red wine. “Go find her and talk to her, please. She may be the only person on the planet who reads as much as you do.”

“Do you know generally where she would be in this massive loft you have?”

Magnus shrugged. “Maybe on the balcony. It’s quieter there.”

Will smiled and walked away. True to Magnus’ word, Will found Tessa on the balcony. She was sitting alone, scrolling through her phone.

“Parties aren’t your thing?” Will said as he approached.

She looked up at him and smiled. “I didn’t know you’d be here,” Tessa said. “How’s your arm?”

“Much better now that it isn’t gushing blood,” he said with a smile. “Although being stuck in my apartment is making me stir crazy. Do you mind if I join you?”

Tessa shook her head. “Not at all. Did Magnus send you over here?”

“He may have,” Will said, handing her the glass of wine. “He said you liked red.”

“Thanks,” Tessa said. “So what have you been doing with your time off? I’m assuming you got time off?”

Will nodded. “Two months,” he said. “I’ve been reading, but alas, I am running out of books.”

“What do you like to read?” Tessa asked.

Will considered his answer. “Mostly fiction,” Will said. “Classics, fantasy, poetry, and some romance.”

“Romance?” Tessa said. “Like Jane Austen romance or Fifty Shades of Gray?”

Will laughed. “Neither of those,” he admitted. “I find Austen a bit tedious and Fifty Shades of Gray is more porn than romance.”

“Not if you finish the series,” Tessa said. Will raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed. “Don’t give me that look. I read the series. I enjoyed the story. I also enjoy reading very intellectual and impressive books, but sometimes, you need a break.”

“What’s the most impressive book you’ve read?” Will asked.

Tessa thought for a minute. “Les Mis,” she said. “My aunt was very conservative and we went to a very antiquated church growing up. When I was fourteen, I brought To Kill a Mockingbird to church, and this woman told me that I shouldn’t be reading because my hair would fall out and I would never find a husband. So the next day, I went to the store and bought Les Mis and War and Peace, and brought both of them to church with me for the next six months.”

Will smiled at her. “Well, given that you have read both of those books— which I would argue are very long and very boring— and you still have hair, I believe that woman was wrong.”

Tessa laughed. “I am sure she was wrong. I don’t even know where she came up with that, but I was a rebellious fourteen-year-old.”

“So was I,” Will said. “I had a phase of dying my hair.”

“That’s not that rebellious,” Tessa teased.

Will grinned. “I went to this fancy boarding school with a very strict dress code, and I didn’t like the rules, so I found a loophole. The rule technically stated that I couldn’t have salon-dyed hair, so I found an online hack for dying hair, and I dyed my hair using bleach and boiled beet juice. It looked horrible, but I thought it was a pointless rule.”

Tessa laughed. “Beet juice? Really? What color was it?”

“It was supposed to be red,” he said. “But it turned out pink.”

“I’m not sure pink is your color,” she said.

Will shook his head. “It certainly is not, and I am convinced it is why I went without a date to the winter dance my senior year.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Tessa said. “Even with pink hair, I think you’re too handsome for anyone to resist.”

Will grinned. “Are you flirting with me?”

“Maybe,” Tessa teased and then hesitated. “I don’t know. I’m not very good at it.”

“What about you and the guy from pediatrics?”

Tessa sighed. “Jem,” she said. “We went out for breakfast, and it was good. We got along really well, but I never got his number or gave him mine, so it didn’t go any further.”

Will frowned and then a silver streak of hair caught his eye in the crowd. He smiled at Tessa. “What would you say to him if you got the chance?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Why?”

“Because he’s right there,” he said, nodding in the direction.

Tessa gasped. “No. I’m not talking to him. I don’t know what to say.”

“Yes, you are,” Will said. “Come on. I’ll be your wingman.”

He took her hand and pulled her up, and she frowned at him. “Will,” she said. “What do I say?”

“Hi?” Will suggested. “You’re smart and pretty. And you have me as your backup. It’ll be fine.”

Tessa hesitantly followed him over to where Jem was talking to Catarina.

“Jem!” Will said, and Jem looked up at him. Will watched him smile and then he saw Tessa and Will watched a small blush color his cheeks.

“Hi,” Jem said as they got closer. “I didn’t think you’d be here.”

Catarina leaned up and whispered something in Jem’s ear and Jem’s attention switched from Will and Tessa to the green haired man Magnus had been talking to earlier. “Are you sure?” Jem asked Catarina. She nodded and smiled at Tessa before walking away.

“How are you feeling?” Jem asked. “Is your arm healing alright? Should you be drinking?”

Will grinned. “It’s doing just fine now, and the doctor cleared me yesterday. Do the two of you ever turn off being nurses?”

“Not really,” Tessa said. Jem smiled at her as if his whole world changed when she was near him. Magnus had said Tessa was pining, but Will suspected Jem had been pining even more. “It’s good to see you, Jem.”

“You, too,” Jem said. “I’m sorry I didn’t text after last time. I forgot to get your number.”

Tessa smiled. “I forgot to ask the same of you, too,” she said. Will waited, but nothing happened.

“By the angel!” Will said. “The two of you are bad at this. Jem, give me your phone,” he said. Jem frowned at him but did as Will asked. “Tessa, what’s your number?”

Tessa answered and Will typed it in. Then he held up the phone and took a picture of her to add to the contact. He sent a text saying “Jem” to her phone, and she smiled at him.

“Now you have each other’s numbers,” Will said. “Problem solved.”

“Thanks,” Jem said and held out his hand for his phone, but Will held onto it and added his number to Jem’s contacts.

“In case she breaks up with you and you need a rebound,” Will said with a smile. “Same goes for you, Tessa.”

Tessa laughed. “Does that mean you’re my competition? Or you’re the third person in our relationship?”

Will smirked. “Are you suggesting a threesome?”

Tessa turned bright red. “No! I—”

“Because I’ll have you know, I am excellent in bed. Although I am not sure that I am Jem’s type.”

“Why not?” Jem asked.

Will looked at him. “I am bi. Are you bi?”

Jem smiled. “Yes?”

“That’s a question?” Will prompted.

“No,” Jem said. “I just don’t usually put a lot of thought into it.”

“And you?” Will said. “Tessa? Are you also bi? We could form a club if you are.”

“Sadly, I am straight,” she said. “You’ll have to exclude me from your club.”

Will grinned and put an arm around her shoulder. “You can join our club,” he said. “I think we can allow an exception. You’re very pretty, and you read. Did you know she reads, Jem?”

Jem smiled and nodded. “I did know that. You said Jane Eyre was your favorite.”

Tessa nodded. “One of them. A Room of One’s Own is another one. And you like Chopin.”

Jem’s smile lit up again, and Will looked at him. “Violin or piano? For Chopin?”

“Violin,” Jem said. “I play violin.”

Will looked at Tessa. “He plays the violin and he heals sick children. Why did you miss asking for his number?”

Tessa blushed and looked away. “I told you. I am bad at dating.”

“You aren’t—” Jem started but Will interrupted.

“Let’s go out,” he said. Jem and Tessa both looked at him. “All three of us. You are both bad at dating. I’m taking you both out to practice dating.”

Jem and Tessa exchanged a look. Will cursed himself. This was weird. Two weeks at home and he had lost his bearing on all social rules. He should have walked away by now and let them be alone, but he didn’t want to leave. He was a little bit attached.

“Where did you have in mind?” Jem asked, giving Tessa a smile.

She smiled back at him. “There’s a bookstore close to my apartment that is open late. They have sheet music, too,” she said shyly.

“Sounds wonderful,” Will said. “Lead the way.”

“I’ll catch up with you in a second,” Jem said. “I’m just going to tell Catarina I’m leaving. She was going to talk to her ex. I just want to make sure she’s okay to get home before I leave.”

Tessa looked at him. “Ragnor’s here? And she’s talking to him?”

Jem nodded. “I’m pretty sure Magnus orchestrated it. I’ll let you know what’s going on.”

Tessa smiled at him. “Okay. I’m going to grab my jacket. Meet at the door in a few minutes?”

Will and Jem agreed and they each went their own way.

* * *

Tessa grabbed her jacket from the spare room and hesitated before she left. Before she could think too much about it, she went over to the nightstand and grabbed a few condoms from the drawer. She tucked them away in her wallet. One night of being brave, she thought. She wasn’t planning anything for tonight. She was just going to let the night go where it was going, and having a few condoms available didn’t hurt anything.

Tessa locked the door on the way out and made her way to the kitchen first where she found Magnus. “Hi,” she said, leaning in close to talk to him over the music.

“Hi, love,” he said. “How’s your evening?”

“Good,” she said. “Will and Jem and I are leaving.”

“Together?” Magnus said with a smirk. “You’re having a threesome?”

“No!” Tessa said. “Maybe? I don’t know. Nothing’s been decided. But here’s your key back.”

Magnus smiled at her. “Enjoy your kinky sex,” he said.

Tessa left before she needed to address that statement. She found Will and Jem talking by the door. Jem smiled at her as she came closer. “Ready?” he asked and offered her his hand.

She nodded and took his hand.

“I feel left out,” Will said.

Jem laughed and held his other hand out to Will. Will accepted it and grinned. “Better?” Jem asked.

“Definitely,” Will said. “Alright, Tess. Where exactly are we going?”

“Not too far. We can take the tube. It’s only a couple stops.” She said and pulled both of them out of the apartment. One night, she reminded herself. She could let her guard down for one night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized in the first chapter, I had all of this happening in New York, but I'm going with what I said in the second chapter and this is in London. I think it makes more sense that way. 
> 
> Let me know what you think of this chapter! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a slow-burn, character development chapter, but that didn't happen, so here are 2300 words of threesome smut.

Tessa wasn’t sure how she ended up in this position. All three of them were tangled together in Tessa’s bed, and she had lost track of who she was kissing. Jem was stradling Will’s hips and kissing Will’s neck, and Tessa had her leg wrapped around Will’s. Will pulled Jem back to his mouth and Tessa pulled back a bit to watch them. Jem pulled back for a second and looked at her. “Are you okay?” he asked. 

Tessa smiled at him and then leaned up and kissed him gently. “Just enjoying the view,” she said and giggled. This was ridiculous. 

Jem grinned at her and the world narrowed down to that smile. She kissed him again and she felt Will shift. 

“You should take off your dress,” Will whispered in her ear. It made her shiver, and she pulled back and looked at him. “Unless I totally misjudged this,” Will said quickly.

Shaking her head gently, Tessa sat up to unzip her dress. Both Will and Jem watched her intently, and she blushed. Sitting up but still stradling Will’s hips, Jem pulled her in for another kiss. Will sat up as well, and Tessa jumped as she felt his mouth on her neck. Jem’s hands began to wander down her body, and Tessa reached to pull his shirt off. 

Jem pulled back and Tessa flinched. Jem reached for her again. “Not what that was, I promise,” he said. “I just- how far are we taking this? Where are the lines we shouldn’t cross? I’m very into all of this, but I am also a bit attached to this being a relationship.”

“Who said this can’t be a relationship? You can have both a relationship and have hot sex,” Will answered.

Tessa giggled. This was all ridiculous. She didn’t do this. She didn’t sleep with people after a party. She especially didn’t have threesomes. “I’m okay with this continuing for tonight, and then I am anticipating that I will fall asleep because I have been awake since six yesterday, and then I was thinking that we could go out for brunch?” Tessa hadn’t actually planned any of that. The words just sort of came out. “I mean, we can stop if you want to, Jem.”

Jem paused. “I don’t want to stop,” he said. 

“I can tell,” Will teased, interrupting him. 

Blushing, Jem looked away. “I just wanted to make sure we weren’t crossing any lines that anyone had.”

“I can’t do missionary,” Will said. Jem and Tessa exchanged a look but waited for Will to explain. “My shoulder still hurts. I will be up for missionary in a few weeks, but not tonight.”

Tessa giggled again. “What positions do you like?” she asked. 

Will raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know. Not sixty-nine. Other than that, I’m open to trying anything. What about you? What’s your favorite position?”

“Missionary,” Tessa said. “Does that make me boring?”

Jem smiled. “I like missionary,” he said. “It’s simple, but it just takes more nuance to make it enjoyable.”

“Damn,” Will said. “Why are you so sexy? Tessa, how did you find this sex god who also saves sick children and is ridiculously nice?”

Smiling, Tessa kissed Jem’s cheek. “He found me,” she said. She meant it to be a practical statement. He had come to find her in the ER because Catarina had sent him, but it sounded more romantic than that. 

Jem leaned in and kissed her again. He pressed her back so she was pressed into the mattress. Will adjusted effortlessly around them. Jem started kissing down her neck and chest, and she reached over to touch Will’s chest. “Take off your shirt,” she whispered to him. He did as she asked, and she smiled at him as Jem kissed down her body. Tessa let herself fade into the moment. Someone— maybe Will?— had unclasped her bra and had his mouth on her breast. She heard herself moan and someone pulled her underwear off and then hands were in very intimate places. She arched into the contact and gasped. She wasn’t expecting to be so sensitive so soon. 

“Are you okay?” Jem asked her. It was his hands. She looked down at him. He had his hand on her hip now. 

“Yeah,” she said and was surprised by how breathy her voice sounded. “Yes,” she said stronger. “It’s just been a while.”

“You’re not hurt?” Jem asked sincerely. 

Shaking her head, she reached down and ran her fingers through his hair. “No, not at all. Just really sensitive.”

“How long has it been?” Will asked. 

Tessa blinked at him as she thought about it. “A few years,” she said. “I had a crappy boyfriend in college, but no one since him.”

“Ah,” Will said. 

Tessa looked at him. “What?” 

“Nothing. Just surprised.” Will kissed her. “Can Jem continue what he was doing?”

“Yes,” she said. “Please, yes.”

Jem laced his fingers with hers and then pressed his mouth to her. Tessa sighed and relaxed. Jem was lazy and slow, lapping and sucking gently. Her orgasm built so slowly it was almost maddening. “He’s good at that,” Will whispered in her ear. 

Tessa murmured in response but didn’t open her eyes. Will kissed her and pressed in closer as her orgasm crested. Jem kept going and her back arched as she moaned. Will stifled most of it, but she still was probably loud enough to annoy her neighbors. 

Jem came up and kissed her. She kissed him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “You’re perfect,” she murmured. 

He laughed. “I’m patient. They aren’t the same thing.”

Will kissed Jem’s neck and whispered something Tessa couldn’t hear in his ear. Jem blushed and looked at Will. 

“If it’s a hard no,” Will started, but Jem shook his head. 

“It’s not,” Jem said. “I just— I haven’t done it before. I don’t know what to do.”

Tessa sat up and they moved around her. “What did you suggest to make him blush like that?”

“I want to fuck him,” Will said. 

Jem laughed. “That is not what you said to me.”

“True,” Will said. “I was far less cras, but it got the point across to her.”

Tessa blushed and bit her lip as an idea crossed her mind. Jem was too distracted by Will, but Will saw her and raised his eyebrows. “What kinky idea are you concocting?” Will said. “That was not a vanilla look.”

“I—” Tessa said and paused. The idea itself didn’t bother her, but putting it into words was different. Will was practically a stranger and Jem was someone she could see at work. It was crazy to be doing this. 

“We aren’t judging,” Jem said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I want to know what you want to try.”

Tessa took a deep breath. “If you two wanted to… do what Will said—” Tessa sighed. “What if Jem was inside me while you were inside him?” 

Will studied her before he spoke. “I would be down for trying that. Jem?”

Jem hesitated, and Tessa kissed his cheek. “We don’t have to,” she said. “We can still to missionary if you would be more comfortable with that tonight.”

“I want to try it,” Jem said. “I just haven’t done anything like it before, so I’m freaking out a bit, but I’ll—”

Jem’s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Why are you still wearing your pants?” Will teased. Tessa laughed and Jem smiled. 

“It’s Catarina,” he said. “I just need to pick up to make sure she’s alright.”

Tessa nodded. Jem picked up and put it on speaker so Tessa could hear. “Hi,” Jem said. “I’m here with Tessa.”

“Hi,” Tessa said. 

“Hi,” Catarina said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to make sure you made it home okay.”

“That’s not why you called,” Jem said. “What’s going on?”

Tessa heard Catarina sigh. “I’m fine. Ragnor is just an ass. I’m home now. I just am going to drink wine until I fall asleep on the couch.”

“Tea,” Tessa said. “You are going to drink tea because Ragnor isn’t worth the wine, and you are going to take a fancy bath and go to sleep in your bed and take care of yourself.”

Jem smiled at her. “I agree with Tessa, and I’m taking you out to dinner tomorrow to talk about what’s going on.”

“Fine,” Catarina said. “I’m sorry to interrupt you two.”

“Three,” Will said. 

Tessa hit him. “Why would you say that?” 

“I’m going to hang up now,” Catarina said. 

Jem said his goodbye and hung up the phone. “She isn’t ever going to let us live this down. And I will get the STD lecture tomorrow at dinner.”

Will laughed. “I wanted to be included,” he said. “But we also should talk about that. I’m clean.”

“So am I,” Jem said. “We should still use a condom though.”

Tessa nodded. “I agree,” she said and stood up. She pulled the few condoms out of her jacket pocket and pulled a small bottle of lube out of her nightstand drawer. 

Will raised his eyebrows, making Tessa blush. “I took the condoms from Magnus,” she explained. 

“And the lube?” Will pressed. 

Tessa pushed him. “Because I’m an adult woman with a stressful job.”

Jem laughed and reached for Tessa’s hand, pulling her back onto the bed. She was kneeling on the bed, and in this position, she was a few inches taller than him. Tilting her head down, she kissed him slowly. Jem pulled her so that her knees were on either side of his hips. Slowly, Tessa pressed him down so that he was on his back and she had their fingers laced together above his head. 

She pulled back and sat up so she could unbutton his pants. Will helped her take off Jem’s pants. Will distracted her for a moment as he kissed her, pushing his tongue into her mouth. She gasped but kissed him back just as hard. She could feel Jem hard below her and Will pressing against her thigh. “Where do you want us?” she asked Will. 

“I just need Jem on his stomach,” Will said. 

Jem pulled Will down for a kiss, and Tessa watched them for a moment. They really were beautiful together and watching their dynamic was fascinating. She expected Jem to kiss Will the same as he kissed her, slow and gentle, but instead, Will followed Jem’s lead, using more tongue and teeth. Tessa watched them relax into each other and she moved off of Jem so that he could move where Will wanted him. 

Jem adjusted so that he was on his stomach and his head was resting on his arms. Tessa laid down next to him and ran her hand up and down his back. He had a tattoo running up and down his back, and she traced it. “What does it mean?” she asked as Will reached for the lube. Will looked at her in question, but she smiled at him. She wanted Jem to like this, to relax into Will like he had relaxed into her. 

“It’s mostly to cover up a scar from surgery when I was younger,” he said and then gasped as Will slid a finger into him. 

“Okay?” Will asked. 

Jem nodded although neither of them could see his face. “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah. Just— I didn’t think it would feel good.”

“That’s kind of the point,” Will said. “If it didn’t feel good, I wouldn’t have suggested it, but if you don’t like it, tell me and I’ll stop.”

“I don’t want you to stop,” Jem said. 

Tessa watched Will smile. “Tell me if it changes,” he said and leaned down to press a kiss to Jem’s back. Tessa watched their movements together. She watched Jem relax and tense and relax again as Will changed rhythms and the number of fingers. 

“I think I’m ready,” Jem said, interrupting Tessa’s thoughts.

Will smiled as Jem turned over and he kissed Will. “Where do you want me?” Jem asked. 

“Over Tessa,” Will said. Tessa pulled him down over her after Jem put a condom on, and she watched Will do the same. 

Jem kissed her as he slid into her, and she moaned, kissing him deeper. She felt Jem’s body shudder as Will slid into him. 

“Still okay?” Will asked. 

Jem pressed his face into Tessa’s neck. “Fuck,” he said. “Yes. Yeah. I’m fine. Don’t stop.”

Tessa held him closer. “You swearing is really hot,” she whispered to him. 

Jem laughed and kissed her neck. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. 

“I’m going to move,” Will said, and made eye contact with Tessa. He pulled back and pushed into Jem, pushing him into Tessa. All three of them moaned. Will moved slowly to start with, but as Jem relaxed more and more, he started to go faster. Tessa relaxed into their movements, eventually moving her hips with Jem. It was intense and insane and she couldn’t believe it was happening, but she held onto Jem tighter as her orgasm crested, and Jem and Will followed soon after. 

They collapsed together on Tessa’s pillows. “That was probably the best sex I’ve ever had,” Will said. He was breathing heavy, and Jem leaned over Tessa to kiss him gently. 

“I’m tired,” he said. 

“Me, too,” Tessa answered. She couldn’t remember who fell asleep first, but she felt safe curled up with her two boys on either side of her. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of this chapter and if you would like to read more.


End file.
